Mercy displayed through school work

Grade 2 students Joseph George and Michelle Williams are proud of their school and what they have learned this year. 16112510

School is coming to an end for 2016, and St Joseph Primary School students have been reminiscing on their learning and the work they have achieved this year.

The school has based this year’s theme on “The Year of Mercy” and the Bible verse.

“Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy,” (Matthew 5:7). The theme was chosen early this year after Pope Francis announced a Jubilee Year of Mercy to be held from December 8t, 2015 to November 20t, 2016.

Deputy principal Helena Tiere said the theme aimed to develop the students’ understanding of mercy and how they could show acts of kindness to one another.

“The whole idea of the theme is to be able to show how mercy can be applied in our lives.

“We have encouraged the students that it is about the little things that matter, like greeting each other in the morning, giving way to a friend, and showing little ways that reveal kindness.”

Tiere said the children had happily taken on the theme and had applied it to their everyday school life.

The school has discussed the problem of bullying throughout the year and Tiere said The Year of Mercy theme fitted in nicely with how the children could learn to prevent bullying by being kind in their choice of words and actions.

“It isn’t just a word, but it is for the children to see, use and apply.”

Meanwhile, Grade 2 children have been relating The Year of Mercy theme into their school work.

The students have been learning about boats and the things that can happen when they are out at sea.

Grade 2 Teacher Lucy Tutaka said the children learned about safety issues and how to care for others while travelling on a boat.

“We discussed how some people are afraid to go on boats, so we learned how we can show kindness to those people,” Tutaka said.

Grade 2 student Michelle Williams said the pupils had written their own poems of on a boat that got put together in the classroom.

“When something goes wrong out at sea, you call for help and the people that know how to show mercy will come and help you,” Williams said.

Another Grade 2 student, Joseph George, said the theme of mercy had taught him to show love to his brother.